Apple Cheese Tart

This recipe was contributed by CSA member, Kelly Roopchand who makes it with the tasty goat cheese she makes at Pumpkin Vine Farm in Somerville. .

Ingredients:

Tart Shell

• 8 Tbs unsalted butter

• 1½ cups flour

• ¼ cup almond meal/ground almonds

• 2 Tbs cane sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1+ Tbs ice water

• ½ tsp almond extract

Filling

• 8 oz. goat cheese

• 2 Tbs honey

• ½ cup golden raisins

• 4 tart, firm apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Topping

• 1 cup flour

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp cardamom

• ½ cup butter (¼ cup cut in small cubes, ¼ cup melted)

• ¼ cup cane sugar

• 1 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Dough - In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg, ice water and almond extract, and set aside. In a separate bowl rub together the butter and flour until the mixture resembles small peas in sand. Stir in almond meal and sugar, and toss with your fingers until combined. Add the egg mixture, and mix until the dough comes together.  Knead the dough a few times until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20-30 minutes.

2. Topping - In another medium-sized bowl whisk flour and spices, and rub in butter with your fingers. Stir in sugar and then almonds. Set aside.

3. Filling - In a separate bowl, stir together goat cheese and honey until smooth and spreadable. Set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Roll the chilled dough to fit a 10-inch, fluted tart pan. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top of the tart pan to trim off the excess. Spread the goat cheese/honey mixture in the bottom of the tart shell in one even layer. Arrange the apple slices over the goat cheese mixture in overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle the raisins over the top of the apples. Cover completely with the topping. Drizzle the melted butter sporadically over the crumb topping.

6. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and the apples are tender. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.